Poinsettia Cupcakes Recipe

WHENEVER these tasty treats pop up at birthday celebrations, so do smiles! The Christmasy confections are deliciously rich chocolate cupcakes from Helen's family-favorite recipe. To create pretty poinsettias, our kitchen staff covered the cakes with frosting, fruit snack flowers and yellow candies. Simply trace and cut out the pattern on the next page to produce the petals, and you'll be well on your way to "growing" goodies of your own!

Nutritional Facts

Directions

In a bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add buttermilk and sour cream. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost cupcakes.

Trace petal pattern at right onto waxed paper; cut out. Cut petal from cardboard. Use cardboard petal from sharp knife to cut 15 petals from each fruit roll. Arrange six petals on each cupcake. Use frosting to attach three candies to each poinsettia.Yield: 15 cupcakes.